Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Perspective

Having gone from emotional numbness through extreme grief, sadness, spiritual calm, and community-oriented happiness, back through sadness to anger and back again to some sort of emotional numbness, I have reached exhaustion and a readiness to move on, both literally and figuratively. Our move and our trip cannot come soon enough.

Countdown to May 27: 32 days

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

The trip sub-list

Things to do for Europe
Book hotels/B&Bs
Make list of campgrounds with locations, phone numbers, and prices
Make list of sights with prices
Make list of interesting restaurants and shops
Sort through newspapers/magazines/guidebooks/maps
Gather addresses for postcards
Make copies of important documents
Finalize budget
Finalize packing list
Figure out travel jewelry and scarf
Figure out laundry options

The restaurant list

Places to go in Blacksburg before we leave
Cinco de Mayo
Lefty's
Cafe de Bangkok
Pee Wee's Barbecue

The to do list

Things to do before May 25
Talk to Fred about keeping our car in New Jersey
Reserve storage space
Reserve moving van
Enlist friends to help move
Collect boxes
Pack
Give stuff to Goodwill/friends
Make doctor/dentist appointments
Figure out health insurance for this summer
Cancel utilities and renter's insurance
Finish up with Foxridge
Tell bank about our trip
Forward mail
Sell Andrew's car
Finish preparations for Europe
Start to investigate Boston options
Enjoy Blacksburg and our friends while we're still here

The deep breath before the plunge

Well, we're back from New Jersey. It was a relaxing trip filled with food, books, and naps. Due to the unseasonably cold weather, we were stuck inside, which encouraged us all to grab some last-minute hibernation before the energetic frenzy of the coming months.

I made a pact with myself: this trip to New Jersey would be the end of normal life; from now on, it's packing time. I've started to feel nostalgic about Blacksburg and this job and our apartment. It's a great feeling, especially since our last move did not inspire the same sorts of emotions. I'm going to post a to-do list for myself. Perhaps that will motivate me. Or I could just rely on my new Rick Steves book for inspiration.

Countdown to May 27: 47 days

Monday, April 2, 2007

Getting closer

My parents came for a visit this weekend. We drove over to Williamsburg to meet them and walk around and see the sights. Later, we went to Jamestown and Berkeley Plantation while Andrew was at work. On Sunday, we all rested from our big adventure, cooked up a storm, and played a few games. Good times.

Next weekend, we head up to New Jersey to visit with Andrew's family, then it's time to start packing and planning in earnest.

Countdown to May 27: 55 days